Review of "Passengers"

Imagine waking up all by yourself, alone on a giant space ship, only to find out that it was a malfunction. The journey was supposed to take more than 100 years, yet you are awake. You were woken up 90 years before you were supposed to be and so the startling truth dawns upon you: unless you can find a way to go into “hibernation” again, you will die alone en route to a planet where you were supposed to find a new life. This is “Passengers”.

The concept for “Passengers” caught my attention, and I was excited to see how the movie would unfold.

The special effects of this movie were wonderfully constructed, especially Arthur, an android bartender, who is human-like from chest up but machine from the waist down.

Jennifer Lawrence does a fantastic job of taking on the role of Aurora, an author who is in search of life changing experiences.

Despite the fact that it was difficult for me to register that the Chris Pratt on screen was Jim Preston and not Andy Dwyer from the comedy Parks and Recreation, Pratt’s acting was good as well, but Jennifer Lawrence set the bar high.

The movie was slow. Way too many minutes were spent watching Chris Pratt playing basketball, eating cereal, and talking with a robot, and the audience quickly lost interest. I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of Jennifer Lawrence to spice things up; watching one actor on screen can become very boring.

When Jim finally decides to wake Aurora up, I hoped that the plot would accelerate. It did not. At least Aurora’s wardrobe provided some entertainment.

However, after Aurora wakes up, the movie slowly morphs into a romance, which brings me to a problem I have with this movie: Jim and Aurora’s relationship. While their relationship wasn’t rushed, it was certainly forced. Granted, they are the only two people on the ship, but the movie could have done without it.

When Aurora discovers that Jim woke her from hibernation, Jennifer Lawrence does an excellent job of portraying a storm of emotions: betrayal, anger, resentment. By the time the end of the movie rolls around, Aurora has all but kissed Jim’s feet; all of her resentment is poof! Gone. This left the audience scratching their heads, as Jim had taken her life away, but all of his betrayal seemed to have evaporated into thin air. Not all movies need a happy ending, and this is one of them.

Finally, a sinking feeling began to creep into my gut as I noticed small signs of technology malfunctioning on the Avalon. At last, something other than relationship troubles was being stirred up.

I loved the rest of the movie and was on the edge of my seat, anxiously watching the events unfold on screen. The plot became intriguing, suspenseful, and action packed.

My last problem with the movie is that some things were just too convenient. Had a crew member not woken up with the exact thing Aurora and Jim needed, the first part of the movie would have been more interesting. Also, of course Jim has to die in order to save Aurora and the other hibernating passengers *eyeroll*. Of course, he survives.

The end of the movie was a perfect blend of sweet and sour.

If you are a die hard Chris Pratt or Jennifer Lawrence fan, feel free to see this movie- you won’t be disappointed. Otherwise, I would not recommend this movie to friends who want to see an awesome science fiction film.